Method and system for steering assistance in a vehicle

Abstract

A method for steering assistance in an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle comprises identifying an upcoming curve, detecting an inner lane boundary and an outer lane boundary of the upcoming curve, determining a safety distance between the vehicle and the outer lane boundary, and controlling a position of the vehicle in the curve with respect to the inner and outer lane boundary such that the vehicle is at a distance from the outer lane boundary which is equal to or larger than the safety distance. A steering assistance system is also described capable of performing the method for steering assistance.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for steering assistance in a vehicle, the method comprising;
 identifying, using a camera, an upcoming curve; 
 detecting, using the camera, an inner lane boundary and an outer lane boundary of the upcoming curve; 
 determining a safety distance as a lateral distance between the vehicle and the outer lane boundary, wherein the safety distance is determined based on a longitudinal distance to the outer lane boundary of the upcoming curve; and 
 controlling, using a vehicle steering assistance system, a position of the vehicle in the curve with respect to the outer lane boundary such that the vehicle is at a distance from the outer lane boundary which is equal to or larger than the safety distance. 
 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1  further comprising positioning the vehicle in the lane, before entering the curve, so that a distance between the vehicle and the outer lane boundary is larger than or equal to the safety distance when the vehicle enter the curve. 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 1  wherein the safety distance is determined such that the vehicle is positioned closer to the inner lane boundary than to the outer lane boundary. 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 1  wherein the safety distance is based on a velocity of the vehicle. 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 1  wherein the safety distance is based on a curvature of the curve. 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 1  wherein the safety distance is based on road surface conditions of the curve. 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 1  wherein the safety distance is based on an inclination angle of the road. 
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 1  wherein the safety distance is equal to or larger than an estimated braking distance of the vehicle. 
     
     
       9. The method according to  claim 1  wherein the safety distance is based on properties of the outer lane boundary and/or on an evaluation of objects beyond the outer lane boundary. 
     
     
       10. The method according to  claim 1  wherein the safety distance is determined based on properties of an auxiliary system. 
     
     
       11. The method according to  claim 1  further comprising acquiring a camera image of the upcoming curve, and determining the lane boundaries from the camera image. 
     
     
       12. The method according to  claim 1  wherein the safety distance is determined before entering the curve and being maintained to be constant throughout the curve. 
     
     
       13. The method according to  claim 1  wherein the step of determining the safety distance is performed before entering the curve and throughout passage through the curve. 
     
     
       14. A steering assistance system for a vehicle, the system comprising;
 a curve identification module configured to detect an upcoming curve and to identify an inner lane boundary and an outer lane boundary of the upcoming curve; 
 a safety module configured to determine a safety distance as a lateral distance between the vehicle and the outer lane boundary, wherein the safety distance is determined based on a longitudinal distance to the outer lane boundary of the upcoming curve; and 
 a vehicle positioning module configured to control a position of the vehicle in the curve with respect to the inner and outer lane boundaries such that the vehicle is at a distance from the outer lane boundary which is equal to or larger than the safety distance. 
 
     
     
       15. The system according to  claim 14  further comprising at least one forward looking camera configured to detect an upcoming curve and to identify lane boundaries of the curve.